Nearly everything’s is $3 at Resident Taqueria, a new restaurant in Lake Highlands

Owners Amy and Andrew Savoie opened Resident Taqueria in Lake Highlands in part because they believed there weren't enough places to get tacos in their neighborhood.
(Laura Quintero)

When Andrew Savoie moved from Maine to Texas, he was “bombarded” by Tex-Mex. “All my wife wanted to do is go to Tex-Mex restaurants,” says Savoie, a chef.

The glazed pork belly taco comes with cucumbers and slaw.

Instead of growing frustrated with the new-to-him cuisine, Savoie indulged in the fiery chiles, the added acidity. He became a culinary teacher at the Art Institute of Dallas and a student of Latin flavors.

His plan to open a restaurant materialized after Nearly a decade of teaching culinary school. (His new place Resident Taqueria might have launched sooner, but Savoie and his wife Amy Savoie were busy building a family in Lake Highlands. Now with three kids, the Savoies are ready: “Let’s have a fourth child — a restaurant!” Andrew says.)

Nearly all of the menu items at Resident Taqueria will be $3, including tacos such as braised beef short ribs, glazed pork belly, and chorizo and potato. Sides like mushroom fundido and garlicky pinto beans will also cost $3. Margaritas, wine and draft beers will likely cost $4-$7.

Inspiration for the fixed $3 price came from a taco restaurant in New York City. “It took the whole problem of ordering right out the window,” Savoie says. “Everything’s a la carte.”

Savoie has gathered inspiration from chefs all over the country for Resident Taqueria. His impressive resume has included stints at Maison Dupuy Hotel in New Orleans; Bouchon in the Napa Valley; Hugo’s Restaurant in Portland, Maine; and Jean-Georges in Trump International Hotel & Tower in New York City.

Resident Taqueria’s flour tortillas will be made in-house, and all of the eight mainstay tacos will be served on flour. “I really want to focus on an ingredient that’s done right, and I love nothing more than a fresh flour tortilla,” the chef-owner says. Savoie will purchase corn tortillas from Dallas Tortilla Factory for anyone who prefers corn.